Well, actually today I don't think too many want to due to the state of the industry. I wouldn't.
Any way here is the deal:
I have been with one of the larger regional airlines for over 5 years. I upgraded to Capt. ASAP because of the PIC time and $$ (what little there is of the $$).
It blows me away how little control over my life. I was on reserve for almost 2 years which of course I had no control over my schedule, worked all holidays. The company always decides my schedule and it is hard to move days off.
Now I can hold a line, but it is one of those lines where scheduling decides what days I work and what days I have off. This month they did not honor my one request for a certain 2 days off and then they packed it full. A few times this month I am basically gone for 5 days.
And to top it off there is little open time trips to pick from and if there was my schedule is so packed with 4 days I can't move any around.
The airlines don't care about families. This is why I won't be around for too long. So if you new pilots are thinking about an airline career take this into consideration.
It is not that great out here because when you upgrade or switch jobs your control over your life goes down the toilet, and it goes down for many years.
The sad thing is a lot more women are getting into this business. I don't know what your schools are telling you but if a family is important to you or you don't want to be 30+ years old to have kids, you might want to do something else.
I love to fly but I don't like the airlines! This is what it is really like out here and I know it is hard to accept this when you are training and this is all you want to do.
The airlines could be a good place but with this constant battle between management, the union and the pilots the airlines will probably never change.
Good luck to all, we need it.
Any way here is the deal:
I have been with one of the larger regional airlines for over 5 years. I upgraded to Capt. ASAP because of the PIC time and $$ (what little there is of the $$).
It blows me away how little control over my life. I was on reserve for almost 2 years which of course I had no control over my schedule, worked all holidays. The company always decides my schedule and it is hard to move days off.
Now I can hold a line, but it is one of those lines where scheduling decides what days I work and what days I have off. This month they did not honor my one request for a certain 2 days off and then they packed it full. A few times this month I am basically gone for 5 days.
And to top it off there is little open time trips to pick from and if there was my schedule is so packed with 4 days I can't move any around.
The airlines don't care about families. This is why I won't be around for too long. So if you new pilots are thinking about an airline career take this into consideration.
It is not that great out here because when you upgrade or switch jobs your control over your life goes down the toilet, and it goes down for many years.
The sad thing is a lot more women are getting into this business. I don't know what your schools are telling you but if a family is important to you or you don't want to be 30+ years old to have kids, you might want to do something else.
I love to fly but I don't like the airlines! This is what it is really like out here and I know it is hard to accept this when you are training and this is all you want to do.
The airlines could be a good place but with this constant battle between management, the union and the pilots the airlines will probably never change.
Good luck to all, we need it.
